Issue 27, March 9, 2020 - Grand Valley Lanthorn

G R A N D VA L L E Y L A N T H O R N

Super Seniors All-GLIAC stars lead women’s basketball team

Kent ISD schools face growing substitute teacher shortage EDUCATION| A2

LaughFest promotes laughing ‘for the health of it’ for 10th year COMEDY | A8

M O N D A Y, M A R C H 9, 2 02 0 // VO L . 5 4 N O. 2 7

@ GV L A N T H O R N

LANTHORN.COM

A2 | NEWS NEWS BRIEFS CORONAVIRUS SPREADS ACROSS THE GLOBE

According to the CDC, there are 164 total cases of the coronavirus in the United States, with 110 of those still under investigation. The states with the most cases are Washington (70) and California (45), with smaller numbers of cases known in 17 other states.

There are no known cases in Michigan as of now, but the rest of the world is already being affected by it. Due to the new and unknown nature of the virus, many citizens have been put in a frenzy and are trying to figure out how to stay safe.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that citizens make sure to wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, clean high-traffic surfaces daily, avoid close contact with people that are sick, avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth, stay home when sick and cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throw it away. Lastly, the CDC urges people to only use facemasks if they have the virus and don’t want to spread it.

ACADEMY OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM WINS GOVERNOR’S AWARD

Per Dottie Barnes, Associate Director of News, Grand Valley State University’s Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) program was established in 1977 in response to the need for professionally trained managers. The HTM program offers a Bachelor of Science degree with emphases in: food and beverage management, lodging management, meeting and event management, recreation and leisure management, and tourism management.

“Now, the Academy of Hospitality and Tourism at Ottawa Hills High School in Grand Rapids has been recognized by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for innovation and collaboration,” Barnes said in a press release.

The new college-career prep academy opened in fall 2019 and is a partnership with Grand Valley State University’s Hospitality and Tourism Management Department, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Experience Grand Rapids, and AHC+Hospitality.

Experience Grand Rapids received the Governor’s Award for Innovative Tourism Collaboration February 19, during the 2020 Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism held in Grand Rapids.

“This academy is a wonderful step in expanding options for students and maintaining the talent pipeline in West Michigan,” Grant said at a news conference in 2018 announcing the academy.

“It will build awareness of the many varied professional opportunities, competencies, and hard and soft skills needed to succeed at the management and executive level.”

MARCH 9, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

COMMUNITY

Kent ISD schools face growing substitute teacher shortage

BY NATHAN SLAUER NSLAUER@LANTHORN.COM

Julia LaPlaca recalls her eight-month stint as a Kent ISD substitute teacher in 2016 with mixed feelings.

“I had some very sweet interactions with children,” LaPlaca remembered. “I also had a kid vomit on my computer. Another kid pooped in a garbage can. I thought, ‘Why would you choose to do this to me now?’”

Bodily malfunctions turned out to be the least of LaPlaca’s worries.

Every day began with a scramble to accept a teaching gig, a dash through the hallway of a new school and a glance at the day’s lesson plan. Once the bell rang, 35 third-graders would barrel down the hallway, screaming as they piled into their seats.

How substitute teachers manage to keep their cool in this chaotic environment surprises LaPlaca, who says the stress of subbing outweighs the benefits.

These days, substitute teachers like LaPlaca are growing scarce, resulting in a growing shortage in Michigan from 2015 to 2019. Highneed Kent ISD schools disproportionately struggle to locate substitute teachers, harming student achievement as administrators hire uncertified substitute teachers, mix up classrooms and place greater demands on teachers.

Veteran substitute teachers are not surprised that fewer people want to substitute teach.

When Tanya Cabala started substitute teaching across Michigan in the 1980s, she found it difficult to manage student behavior.

The role grew more demanding as students began facing cyberbullying, screen addiction, attention disorders and anxiety — mental health issues that no one had prepared her to address.

“Everyone wonders why we don’t have subs, but it’s pretty obvious: the profession is in trouble,” Cabala said. “Sometimes you’ll get a crazy class just floating on the ceiling. Most days you’re just flying by the seat of your pants.”

Education professionals have discussed how substitute teaching has gained a reputation as a hard, thankless job for years. Yet researchers have only recently documented the shortage.

A study conducted by Michigan State University’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research reports that two-thirds of school districts in Michigan (64 percent) cannot find enough substitute teachers “several times a week.” Since the 2015-16 school year, the fill rate has dropped from 93 percent to 86 percent, meaning that school districts seeking 100 substitutes for a given day might only fill 86 openings.

Nathan Burroughs, Ph.D., lead investigator, said researchers need more data before drawing regional conclusions. However, they suspect that wealthy school districts are generally more likely to fill substitute teacher openings than high-need school districts.

BUILDING THE FUTURE: While the teacher shortage is nothing new in the public school system, Kent County has also seen a shortage in substitutes. COURTESY | MICHIGAN CAPITOL CONFIDENTIAL

Local data backs up Burroughs’ hunch. EduStuff reports that Kent ISD school districts lag behind the statewide average, with the fill rate in Grand Rapids, Wyoming and Kentwood schools averaging between 70 to 80 percent.

Cabala does not blame young people when they tell her that they feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of substitute teaching.

“Schools reflect what’s going on in society, and subs are filling in the gap so much more than they used to,” Cabala said. “I once met two young women trying out subbing, who told me if ‘we were education grads, this experience would turn us off totally.’”

Not all substitute teachers share horror stories like LaPlaca.

What Scott Urbanowski enjoys sharing most about his substitute teaching experience is his favorite memories of students. Watching students demonstrate the latest dance sensation or explaining what TikTok is can be hilarious.

The moments of connection with students do not erase the tense atmosphere in schools.

Education professionals feel intense pressure to meet rising state standards, and administrators and teachers often distrust one another.

The search for substitute teachers adds yet another problem for administrators to worry about. Some school districts require substitute teachers to have a teacher certificate, while others drop their qualification levels to get more candidates in the door.

Michigan lawmakers recently lowered the amount of college credits required to become a substitute teacher to just 60 credits, the equivalent of an associate’s degree, to expand the substitute pool. Over 80 percent of the Kent ISD substitute teacher pool does not have an education background, according to EduStaff, Michigan’s largest substitute teacher provider.

State Senator Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rap-

ids) recognizes the pressure that administrators are under to fill open substitute positions, but she says that school districts should be wary of expanding at all costs.

“We don’t want to lessen requirements just so we can have a warm body in the room,” Brinks said.

The trend of reducing teaching qualifications also concerns Elizabeth Moje, dean of the School of Education at the University of Michigan. Moje views teacher certification as a the best way to demonstrate a candidate’s understanding of content instruction and student development.

“The reduction of credit-hour requirements is extremely worrisome,” Moje said.

“We’re supposed to be preparing people for college and a career. When the people who are teaching don’t have college degrees, it’s hard to imagine them preparing students for college.”

Mary Bouwenese, president of the Grand Rapids Education Association, says that when no substitute teachers are available to fill a teacher absence, administrators combine classrooms, driving up class sizes and pushing students from different grade levels together in a new, distracting environment. Kent ISD schools shuffle classrooms multiple times each week.

“I might be a fifth grade teacher with thirty kids, and now I have five first graders I don’t know what to do with,” Bouwenese said.

Moje says that when students are placed in new classrooms, they must adapt to an entirely new community. This process disrupts students’ ability to focus on course content.

“Each classroom has its own place in the curriculum, different styles of relating to one another, and its own culture,” Moje said. “Children aren’t robots; you have to help them learn.”

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MARCH 9, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

CONTENTS EDUCATION

| A2

EDITORIAL

| A4

GOVERNANCE

| A5

W. BASKETBALL

| A6-7

COMEDY

| A8

M. BASKETBALL

| A9

BASEBALL

| A10

SOFTBALL

| A11

TRACK & FIELD

| A12

VOL. 5 4

NO. 27

Lan thorn EDITORIAL STAFF

Layout Editor VIVIANA RUBIO

Editor-in-Chief NICK MORAN Associate Editor AMY MCNEEL

Layout Designer KHOI TRAN PROMOTIONS

Associate Editor BRIANNE KERR News Editor SEAN CAUVET Sports Editor KELLEN VOSS Laker Life Editor YSABELA GOLDEN

Promotions Manager ALEX DAGASTINO ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager JESSE BECKER BUSINESS STAFF

A&E Editor MARY RACETTE Image Editor BENJAMIN HUNT

A3 | NEWS POLICE

GVPD discusses continued growth of security camera initiative

BY SEAN CAUVET NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

“Grand Valley, as you understand, does not like to be last in things,” said Grand Valley Police Department Captain Jeff Stoll. “They like to be leaders in things.”

Students may have noticed that in recent weeks and months, there have been surveillance cameras being set up all across campus.

Stoll said it is difficult to get an exact number because new ones are constantly being put up, but that there are now over 1,000 on campus.

“When we started the initiative, we were covering about five percent of the campus,” said Dan Bohle, GVPD’s Dispatch Supervisor. “Now we’re covering about 80 percent.”

Bohle’s role includes camera requests and reviewing footage, in addition to leading the camera initiative.

Stoll said camera coverage was often a question they got from concerned parents and it used to be a question they wouldn’t feel as confident giving an answer in. Now, GVSU hopes that people ask about it.

“I think two things helped spur the growth,” Stoll said. “One was when they added the cameras in the marketplace when the bookstore moved from Kirkhof to there, and we were able to have repeated success in using those cameras to combat theft. The other biggest thing was when we looked at other universities across the state, we were well below what the average was in terms camera

Business Manager RACHEL RUTGERS

EYE ON SAFETY: GVPD dispatch center employees keep a close eye on cameras to keep the campus safe thanks to the new camera initiative started by dispatch supervisor Dan Bohle. GVL | ARCHIVE

amount and camera coverage.”

The first cameras were placed downtown on the Pew Campus in 2008, and Bohle said that part of the motivation for the initiative was about preparation.

“We were so far behind a school like Central (Michigan University),” Bohle said. “Unfortunately, they had incident in the dorm

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DOWNTOWN

Asst. Business Manager NEHEMIAH HUDGINS-LOPEZ

Grand Rapids Public Library adapts to new community needs

BY MACKENZIE KELLER MKELLER@LANTHORN.COM

At the Lanthorn, we strive to bring you the most accurate news possible. If we make a mistake, we want to make it right. If you find any errors in fact in the Lanthorn, let us know by calling 616-331-2464 or by emailing editorial@lanthorn.com.

The Grand Valley Lanthorn is published weekly by Grand Valley State University students 31 times a year. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the Grand Valley Community. For additional copies, at $1 each, please contact our business offices.

The Lanthorn is published on recycled paper and is printed with soy bean ink. This means that our newspaper is entirely compostable. Help us do our part to be kind to the environment by recycling or composting this newspaper after you enjoy reading it.

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room but were able to solve it with CCTV (cameras). Seeing that, it got us thinking if we would be able to solve something like that with our old system.”

OLDIE, BUT A GOODIE: Grand Rapids Public Library exapands online database, refuses to go out of style. COURTESY | LIBRARYTHING.COM

The Grand Rapids Public Librar y (GRPL) continues to prove to the public that libraries have yet to go out of style.

With an expansive collection of books and a growing online database, the library is still one of the greatest resources a public resident can have.

With the massive growth of the internet, many people have begun to find all of their information from the comforts of their own homes. Their library cards sit around collected dust as a vast collection goes unused.

To combat this change, the library has begun to go digital. Databases are backed up online and can easily be accessed with a GRPL card. Their website also promotes several free streaming apps, which can be downloaded on iOS or Android.

Among these apps are Hoopla, Lynda and Mango Languages. Hoopla is a

streaming app that offers comics, music, movies, television shows and audiobooks. Lynda features a collection of video tutorials to teach new skills at the pace of the user. Mango Languages is an engaging platform that offers more than 70 different languages to learn.

Even as surrounded by electronics as we are, some people are not as tech savvy as others. The library also hosts free computer training classes, some on a weekly basis while others are a one-time class.

Among these classes are Basic Computer Skills, Exploring Social Media and Email, Cutting Cable and even an intro workshop on how to use Lynda.

The slides and handouts from previous classes are posted on the library’s website for those unable to attend, and are free for anyone to access, even without a GRPL card.

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A4 | OPINION

MARCH 9, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

By Juliette Elton

GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON

EDITORIAL

From the Newsroom: Encouraging dialogue throughout the political process

T 03/9/20

editorial@lanthorn.com

Here’s why you might be immortal

BY ATHENA JASMAN JUNIOR FILM AND VIDEO EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

The possibility of being immortal has always been a speculative fiction, but fiction is only a few letters away from nonfiction.

No one has ever killed me. Since birth, I have completely avoided being murdered — even when I was a stupid helpless baby, which is arguably the most murderable stage a person could be at. I

wasn’t even aborted, and my mom is pro-choice. My mom also never gave me flu vaccines. I know this is an unpopular opinion, but it is possible not vaccinating kids makes them immortal, just saying.

I have never been able to fully grasp the idea of death, or post-death, for that matter. It’s only logical that this incomprehensibility is directly tied to the lack of ability to experience death. For people my age, the most likely ways to die are unintentional injuries, suicide, homicide, “other” (the scariest of the whole list, if you ask me), cancer, heart disease, congenital malformations and some other slices of the pie chart too small for me to care about, in that respective order. Yet I have died of nothing.

I have wanted to die many times, either because of inexplicable sadness or because I really didn’t want to write an essay that was due in a few hours, and dying seemed like a valid excuse. Yet I have never killed

myself. Is this because of Lexapro, Zoloft or simply my inability to die?

I have never broken a bone. Ever.

You could argue that this is because I haven’t been physically active since the release of Bowser’s Inside Story on the DSi. You could also, with equal validity, argue that it is because my bones simply cannot break.

Somehow, I have always recovered from every sickness I have ever been inflicted by, and I get sick very often. Like, every few weeks.

How am I still alive? Is it the work of very strong pills and soups, or is it simply a case of virus incompetence when faced with my seemingly weak but invincible immune system? There are currently no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Michigan.

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Whitmer’s Biden endorsement a slap in face for those who don’t want Trump reelected

BY DYLAN GROSSER JUNIOR MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

With eyes on the 2020 election, the Lanthorn will be featuring all angles of discussion on the political ecosystem. If you want to share

your thoughts via a letter to the editor, please email us at editorial@ lanthorn.com.

It’s happening again.

We thought that after 2016, Democrats had surely learned their lesson that nominating a moderate will result in low voter turnout and thus a Republican victory in the White House.

Well, it looks like they didn’t learn.

Now the new moderate of this race, Joe Biden, is coming to our state looking for an easy victory with the momentum he enjoys because of his Super Tuesday win. And now, he’s got a new friend to help him out: our governor, Gretchen Whitmer. Not only has she endorsed him prior to the Michigan primary on Tuesday, March 10, but she is also joining his campaign as a co-chair.

Yes, of all people, Joe Biden. A

man who has called for cuts to social security for 40 years, who opposes the popular policy of Medicare For All, who has advocated for segregationist policies in the past and who can’t stop freaking mis-speaking.

While polling shows Biden winning Michigan over Bernie Sanders, the same was said of Hillary Clinton in 2016 before Sanders ended up winning our state in a major upset. Indeed, not a single poll predicted that victory, which pollsters attributed to underestimating the turnout of young voters.

And guess what? Young people still really like Sanders.

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he discourse surrounding the 2020 presidential race is already omnipresent, from their constant buzz through media platforms, mentions on socials or caught between conversations in public.

Those who have their mind made up about who should be president are speaking their minds. Those who are unsatisfied with the options presented are asking others to reconsider. Those who are silently observing are making tough choices. And those who absolutely don’t care are looking for a little peace and quiet.

Throughout this process, our team at the Lanthorn will continue to encourage dialogue as the foundation of mutual understanding and progress.

Regardless of your political affiliation, what issues you find important or your distance from the political ecosystem, your voice matters. No one is asking for you to take a political stance that you’ll be forced to fight for, but we are encouraging you to stand up for what you believe in proudly — whether it’s a strong policy platform or the idea that voting is pointless.

Out there are confused community members, or people that have been lost in the spin cycle of confusing rhetoric and campaign ads. There may be people looking for an ally. Or a friend. Or a sense

that they may not be alone in their beliefs.

We understand that news outlets are looked at with an especially critical eye during election cycles, which is why the Lanthorn’s editorial team will be doing its best to keep our readership educated. With Super Tuesday behind us and the competition to President Trump’s incumbent presidential race narrowing, we want our readers to be comfortable in their decisions.

Here’s what this means to you, the reader: We will be extending an open invitation to all readers to submit letters to the editor about any form of view on local, state-wide or national issues or political races.

Working with non-partisan organizations and independent researchers, we will strive toward preparing voters to cast their ballots. As we look towards November, we intend to keep our readership educated on political stances that matter most to our West Michigan community.

Outside of the political realm, the Lanthorn will continue to be a haven for those seeking local news, inspiring stories about community members and engaging sports coverage.

If you have a perspective you want to share with us, email Editor-in-Chief Nick Moran at editorial@lanthorn.com to submit a letter to the editor.

GVL OPINION POLICY The goal of the Grand Valley Lanthorn’s opinion page is to act as a forum for public discussion, comment and criticism in the Grand Valley State University community.

Student and columnist opinions published here do not necessarily reflect those of the paper as an entity.

The Lanthorn strives to be a safe vehicle for community discussion. With this in mind, the Lanthorn will not publish or entertain any forms of hate speech, but neither will it discriminate against any other views, opinions or beliefs.

The content, information and views expressed are not approved by—nor do they necessarily represent those of—the university or its Board of Trustees, officers, faculty or staff.

Letters to the editor should

include the author’s full name, relevant title and a headshot, along with a valid email address and phone number for confirming the identity of the author. Letters should be approximately 500-650 words in length, and they are not edited by the Lanthorn staff except to fix technical errors or to clarify. Reader submissions on the opinion page appear as space permits.

To make a submission, email editorial@lanthorn.com or drop your submission off in person at:

0051 KIRKHOF CENTER GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY ALLENDALE, MI 49401 616-826-8276

FEBRUARY 4, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A5 | NEWS

GOVERNANCE

Student Senate convenes once more before Spring Break BYLUCAS SWARTZENDRUBER LSWARTZENDRUBER@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University Student Senate Executive Vice President Kelly Dowker coordinated the Feb. 27 general assembly while President Eric-John Szczepaniak was away for a last-minute commitment.

Dowker said she is comfortable with chairing Student Senate meetings because she has done this before. For example, she oversaw a meeting with substantial public comment about the motion to remove the Pledge of Allegiance.

Additionally, Dowker mentioned officer reports were cut short to have a shorter meeting before spring break. Subsequently, general assembly adjourned at 5:47 p.m.

Nonetheless, Student Senate covered considerable ground, including discussing the myLaker app. Associate Director of Administrative Systems Ben Rapin said the app provides a virtual assistant for answering questions about GVSU. These questions range from knowing one’s cumulative GPA to when the next class occurs.

Rapin said the app is like artificial intelligence. It provides answers that are updated in real-time as more information is added.

However, he mentioned the app is still learning (with questions it may not be able to answer yet). Rapin asked it how many times GVSU has won Battle of the Valleys. The myLaker app replied without a conclusive answer to the question.

Vice President for Enrollment Development Lynn “Chick” Blue said the app has over 52,000 answers, though much work remains to be done. Blue mentioned the task for Student Senate is to ask colleagues about the app, and senators can email her ideas for it.

At one point, Senator Alex Hicks said the Information Technology (IT) HelpDesk receives many non-IT related questions.

In response, Blue mentioned being interested in hearing about some of the ridiculous questions.

Similarly, Dowker said Student Senate receives many emails that contain generic questions from students. Senators refer students to links or appropriate departments for answers. Dowker explained the app can benefit Student Senate.

“This is a direct student-to-administration-and-faculty contact, cutting out kind of the middle man for a lot of different departments not just in it, I think,” Dowker said.

Additionally, Student Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of W-20-04. This resolution calls for a task force to research GVSU students’ accessibility to menstrual hygiene products.

Dowker said the biggest challenge to W-20-04 is budgeting. Student Senate funded the menstrual hygiene product initiative with its internal budget, although Dowker said this is not sustainable in the long term. Therefore, she mentioned part of GVSU’s budget will need to fund menstrual hygiene products for students.

ATTENTIVE ATTENDEES: Before leaving for Spring Break, members of Student Senate listen to various speakers. One included updates on a revitalized myLaker app, a virtual assistant. GVL | MICAH HILL

Senator Gavin Marlowe then brought up W-20-05 for organizing a climate emergency task force to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Some people, though, conveyed concerns about the resolution. Associate Dean for Student Life Bob Stoll said Student Senate needs to work on building partnerships; Stoll mentioned his colleagues say they are not being told about Senate resolutions.

Dowker explained it is important for Student Senate to be in contact with GVSU administration and staff. After all, she said the Senate is not an autonomous body. Senators work with university officials toward the same goals.

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LAKER EFFECT

Soldiers on the Front Lines: AmeriCorps members in West Michigan make an impact

BY JANE JOHNSTON NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

SERVICE FIRST: West Michiganders involved in AmeriCorps work with local governments, schools and nonprofits. COURTESY | RED CROSS

Almost 150 West Michiganders spend their days working for AmeriCorps, a national service organization that pairs members with local governments, schools and nonprofit organizations.

One of those organizations is the Literacy Center of West Michigan. Johana Rodriguez, the organization’s Director of Family Literacy, said that the work the center does wouldn’t be possible without AmeriCorps.

“They are the front-line soldiers of our work,” Rodriguez said. “They become the nucleus of the community the learners make in classes.”

The center’s Family Literacy program focuses on non-native speakers with children ranging from preschooler’s to those in their early teenage years.

“All parents want and deserve the right to be their child’s first parent,” Rodriguez said of her work, saying her role allows her to “influence programming that will help parents find their voice in their own

families, school and community.”

The Literacy Center of West Michigan has served almost 2,000 area adults and is only one of over 100 Americorps service sites in the region. Marsha Hazen, Americorps Partnerships Coordinator for the Michigan Community Service Commission, said that AmeriCorps members across the state learn lessons they’ll take with them longer after their service is over.

“AmeriCorps members learn new skills and gain valuable experience, while making our communities safer, stronger and healthier,” Hazen said.

Hazen would know, as prior to serving on the Michigan Community Service Commission she was an AmeriCorps member for three years.

“Growing up in a low-income family, I knew that I wanted to work in the non-profit or public service sector in order to make a positive impact on the world,” Hazen said.

She made that impact with AmeriCorps, first creating out-of-school activities for children in a community north of

Lansing, then securing low-income and uninsured patients healthcare services.

Now she works with state and national AmeriCorps teams in a variety of ways — training members and program staff, overseeing national outreach to high school and college students, school counselors, and community organizations, and connecting AmeriCorps members across the country through professional networking, peer exchange and other existing programs within the organization.

Those interested in joining AmeriCorps have the choice between three different program types — VISTA, NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) and State and National working with organizations to tackle issues like Ex-Offender Reentry, Disaster Relief and more.

At the Literacy Center of West Michigan, AmeriCorps members are in charge of instructing one of 11 different class sessions offered.

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MARCH 9, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A Tradition of Dominance

GVSU approaches GLIAC final rematc

BY ELI ONG EONG@LANTHORN.COM

Entering the game with a record of 27-2 and a rematch looming with fellow conference juggernaut Ashland in the GLIAC tournament final, all the No. 4 ranked Grand Valley State University women’s basketball team had to do was take care of business against the Warriors of Wayne State in the GLIAC tournament semifinal on Saturday, March 7 in Ashland, Ohio.

The Lakers certainly did just that.

After beating the Michigan Tech Huskies on Tuesday, March 3, after shooting a season-high 50 percent from behind the arc, the GVSU women’s basketball team defeated Wayne State, 7549, Saturday afternoon at Ashland University in their semifinal matchup. The Lakers improve to 28-2 overall and move forward to take on undefeated and No. 2 ranked Ashland in the GLIAC Tournament finals on Sunday, March 8 at 3 p.m.

“We played with a lot of belief and a lot of confidence, you know offensively,” said GVSU coach Mike Williams. “We have been doing that a lot more lately, a great job on offense, you know Cassi-

dy (Boensch) had a great game out there today, Maddie (Dailey) and Jenn (DeBoer) played well with their contributions as well.”

Senior center Cassidy Boensch dominated in the paint, scoring 26 points on 9-11 shooting from the field, while grabbing 10 rebounds and blocking five shots. Senior forward Maddie Dailey also finished in double figures with 16 points and senior guard Jenn DeBoer stuffed the stat sheet with six points, six rebounds and six assists.

In addition to the senior trio leading the Lakers on the court Saturday, March 7, they also led the GLIAC conference.

As a part of the GLIAC conference awards banquet held Friday, March 6, Boensch, Dailey and DeBoer earned first team all-GLIAC plaudits for the Lakers.

Boensch also took home the hardware, as the Au Gres, Michigan native won her second consecutive GLIAC Player of the Year award. So far on the season, Boensch has continued her dominance as the best center in DII Women’s basketball, averaging 20.4 points, grabbing 9.2 rebounds and blocking 3.2 shots per game.

Although the Lakers were able to per-

NOT IN MY HOUSE: Hands in the air, senior forward Maddie Dailey (No. 34) deters a pass around the arc by a Davenport player. GVL | MEGHAN LANDGREN

form well on offense and be recognized conference-wide for their performances all season long, the reason behind their success against the Warriors was what has been their penchant all season: suffocating defense.

The GVSU defense forced Wayne State to shoot just 30.6 percent (19-62) from the field and 26.3 percent (5-19) from behind the arc and held their opponent under 50 points for the 18th time this season.

That consistency on the defensive side of the ball also led the Lakers to earning four all-GLIAC defensive team nominations in Boensch, guards Taryn Taugher and Victoria Hedemark and forward Maddie Dailey.

The Warriors jumped on the Lakers early as they led 9-4 through the first three in a half minutes of play. GVSU ended the quarter on a 12-2 run and took a 16-11 lead into the second quarter. Senior guard Taryn Taugher and Dailey each buried three-pointers early in the second frame to extend the GVSU margin to double-digits. The Lakers continue to build the lead late in the first half and led 36-24 at the halftime break.

Wayne State cut into the deficit in

the third quarter, trailing just 43-38 with 2:47 left in the third quarter. The Lakers quickly answered and went on a 9-2 run, sparked by a pair of Taugher three-pointers, to lead 52-40 entering the fourth quarter. Wayne State came within 11 points at the 8:25 mark of the final quarter, but GVSU built up a 26-point lead by the time the buzzer sounded, 75-49.

“We knew they’re a good team, you know, we played them twice (before today) and you know that they’re playing really competitive basketball of late,” Williams said. “They played Ferris (State) which is a really good team and they went to Ferris and beat them so you know they got a lot of weapons and we were fortunate enough to go out and execute today and get a solid win against a team that, you know, has given us trouble in recent years.”

Following GVSU’s contest with Ashland, the NCAA Tournament Selection Show will be aired on NCAA.com at 10 p.m. Check back on gvsulakers.com and @gvsuwbb on Twitter for a link to the show.

LEADING LADIES: Following a victory over Davenport on Feb. 27, President Philomena Mantella poses with a glowing GVSU women’s basketball team. The women trumped the Panthers 71-46 in the Crosstown Showdown before Spring Break. GVL | MEGHAN LANDGREN

PUSH on th

e Continues

A6&7 | SPORTS

ch against No. 2 Ashland

HING ON: Charging forward, senior guard Jenn Deboer (No. 4) puts he jets to get around a Michigan Tech defender. GVL | BENJAMIN HUNT

A8 | ARTS ARTS AT A GLANCE STUDENTS UNPLUG TO UNLOCK CREATIVITY

Artists and musicians are among the population of students who find themselves searching for the balance between screen time and unplugged creativity.

Efforts to limit screen time from the department of Music, Theater and Dance faculty ties into the Recreation and Wellness (RecWell) Unplugged campaign on campus.

The Unplugged campaign was started by Assistant Director of Campus Recreation Kayla Cupples. She was inspired to start the campaign after grad school when she did research on social media and its effects on college students.

The Unplugged campaign’s mission is to help students disconnect and enjoy their surroundings outside of their screen.

The National Day of Unplugging was March 6, however, this was during student’s Spring Break. RecWell instead acknowledged the cause with a whole week of Unplugging. Feb. 23-29, students were encouraged to re-evaluate their screen time.

Read the full story at www.lanthorn.com

THE GRAND RAPIDS CIVIC THEATER BRINGS MATILDA

The Grand Rapids community can see Roald Dahl’s magical story come to live at the Grand Rapids Civic Theater. The theater will be performing daily shows which started on Feb. 28 and will run until March 22. The GRCT performance will feature volunteer actors which range in age and experience.

Matilda is a story about a young girl with a magical power. All of the adults in her life are either cruel or oblivious, except for her teacher Miss Honey who shows her kindness and compassion. The story contains elements of fantasy, drama and comedy which make a exciting experience for the whole family. Matilda includes a variety of themes including friendship, family and education.

MARCH 9, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLARTS

COMEDY

LaughFest promotes laughing ‘for the health it’ for 10th year

BY ALLISON RAFFERTY ARAFFERTY@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Rapids’ annual week-long celebration of laughter is taking place March 5-15. The 2020 Gilda’s LaughFest is held throughout downtown Grand Rapids and is an event for all ages. This year marks LaughFest’s tenth birthday, and per usual, all proceeds go to Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids, a free community with programs designed to support emotional health.

In the words of LaughFest Festival Director Joanne Roehm, LaughFest is “a 10-day celebration of laughter for the health of it.”

The multitude of performances include stand-up, improv, spoken word, sketch, and music and theatre among many more. With a little something for everyone, it’s no surprise that the festival brings in approximately 30,000-50,000 attendees each year.

Featured performers at this year’s LaughFest include Maria Bamford, JP Sears, Russell Peters and Jeff Foxworthy.

Grand Valley State University alum Allen Trieu is a stand-up comedian who has been performing at LaughFest since its start ten years ago. Trieu said that LaughFest stands out from other comedy events because it is a festival for a cause. The emotional health programs Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids offers include a comprehensive program of education, structured sharing times, networking, lectures,

HEALTHY LAUGHTER: For the tenth birthday of LaughFest, all proceeds will go to Gildas’s Club Grand Rapids. The organization promotes and supports mental health. COURTESY | LINKEDIN

workshops and social activities designed to support emotional health.

“This festival allows people to see a variety of acts in a variety of venues which comedy doesn’t always get to,” Trieu said. “The name Gilda’s and the understanding of what they do for the community is also a big part of why West Michigan comes together for it.”

Roehm said, “I think people really

resonate with the cause behind it and the work Gilda’s Club does. We all need to laugh as we come out of a Michigan winter.”

Trieu said that what he hopes audience members take from the festival is very simple.

LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

FILM

With GR Film Challenge on hiatus, GVTV creates their own

BY MARY DUPUIS MDUPUIS@LANTHORN.COM

ARTISTS HAVE LUNCH WITH GRAM COMMUNITY

Artist Norwood Viviano is this month’s presenter for the Visionnaire Series–at Lunch at the Grand Rapids Art Museum on March 10. On select Tuesday’s the GRAM features an artist to present to guests as they enjoy from an assortment of refreshments. The event hosted by the Visionnaire Executive Committee takes place at the GRAM’s Cook Auditorium from 12-1 p.m.

Viviano’s work depicts changes in society through the combined use of 3D digital modeling and glass blowing. He uses metal and glass to create 3D Art that is intended to make a statement about the world we live in. During the event he will be discussing his work features in the GRAM exhibit “A New State of Matter: Contemporary Glass.”

CAMERA ROLLING: Students collaborate on a short film. COURTESY | LANTHRON ARCHIVE

For the past three years, Grand Valley State University’s student run television station, Grand Valley Television (GVTV), has participated in the 36 Hour Film Challenge at the Grand Rapids Film Festival and won awards in Audience Choice and Editing for two of them. However, as of January, the challenge was put on an indefinite hiatus.

In turn, GVTV’s executive board has decided to create and hold their very own 50 Hour Film Challenge from 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 13 to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 15. The challenge is not limited to students in GVTV, as all students are welcome to sign up for free.

During their 50 given hours, the teams must each write, produce, record, edit and publish their own 3-7 minute short film.

The submitted work will then be judged by a panel of GVSU Film and Video professors,

Spencer Everhart, Toni Perrine and Joel Potrykus. Judges will use rubrics which evaluates each team’s cinematography, editing, acting and writing.

Winners of each category will be announced and given awards at GVTV’s Premier Night on March 29. The event will include food, screenings of the films and time to appreciate the work of all groups involved.

GVTV President Kyle Macciomei said preparations for the competition began in February and they have had their hands full with work as the competition approaches.

“We’ve had to create an entire competition from scratch,” Macciomei said. “So it began with crafting the rules and guidelines that will be in place and available to view for all competing teams.

LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

A9 | SPORTS

MARCH 9, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

NEWS BRIEFS

M. BASKETBALL

BOENSCH EARNS GLIAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR AS GVSU WBB EARNS BEVY OF AWARDS

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) announced the AllConference and Player of the Year award winners at the conference tournament banquet on the campus of Ashland University Friday night. Grand Valley State University took home eight all-conference awards by five different players. Senior center Cassidy Boensch was the headliner as she was named GLIAC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Boensch was joined on the All-GLIAC First Team by senior guard Jenn DeBoer and senior forward Maddie Dailey, while Boensch, Dailey, senior guard Victoria Hedemark and senior guard Taryn Taugher were named to the GLIAC All-Defensive Team.

SPEED RACER: Junior guard John Slater (No. 1) races past an Ashland defender on his way to the basket Tuesday, March 3. GVL | BENJAMIN HUNT

THREE LAKERS EARN ALL-GLIAC HONORS FOR MEN’S BASKETBALL

Three Grand Valley State Lakers have earned Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) honors for the 2019-2020 season Junior Jake Van Tubbergen is a first team All-GLIAC performer while senior Jeremiah Ferguson and Christian Negron each earn second team honors. Negron was also named to the GLIAC All-Defensive team. The awards were announced by GLIAC Commissioner Kris Dunbar during Friday (March 6) night’s banquet, held on the campus of Grand Valley State, ahead of the GLIAC Tournament’s final two rounds this weekend.

GVSU WOMEN’S TENNIS DEFEATS CONCORDIA-NEW YORK, 5-2

The #24 Grand Valley State women’s tennis team claimed a 5-2 victory over Concordia-New York in its Florida finale. The Lakers are now 18-3 overall and will continue a non-conference slate.

VARSITY SCHEDULE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

NCAA Tournament, bracket announced at 10 p.m. Sunday night, time and opponent pending

MEN’S BASKETBALL

NCAA Tournament, bracket announced at 10 p.m. Sunday night, time and opponent pending

BASEBALL

Saturday, March 14, 1 p.m., vs Davenport @ Erie, PA Sunday, March 15, 12 p.m., vs Mercyhurst University @ Erie, PA

SOFTBAL

Saturday, March 14, 1 p.m., @ Ohio Dominican Sunday, March 15, 2 p.m., @ Walsh

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m., NCAA indoor championships @ Birmingham, Ala.

NOTHING BUT NET: Senior guard Jeremiah Ferguson (No. 14) looks to put points on the board againts an Ashland defender. GVL | BENJAMIN HUNT

HAND TOWARD HEAVEN: Junior forward Christian Negron (No. 11) goes for the net. GVSU hosted Senior Night on Feb. 28. GVL | BENJAMIN HUNT

GV leaders set sights on Lansing for additional funding

BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

The road trip to the Upper Peninsula is always a defining moment for the No. 21 Grand Valley State men’s basketball team, as while the weak teams get exposed in that weekend, the good teams stay resilient and come out of the trip with few scars.

This Lakers had a decent weekend, beating Northern Michigan in double overtime, 82-79, before losing to Michigan Tech, 78-70, as the Huskies clinched home-court advantage in the GLIAC tournament.

After the weekend, GVSU falls to 21-6, but still remains at the coveted second-seeded spot in the GLIAC. The Lakers certainly weren’t expecting the first game against Northern Michigan to go into double overtime, but junior Jake Van Tubbergen was certainly up for the challenge.

Shooting 15 of 23 from the field, Van Tubbergen had a career-high 39 points to go along with 13 rebounds.

That point total is the most a Laker has scored since 1997, and GVSU coach Ric Wesley is proud to see the Holland, Michigan, native come into his own in

the twilight of his junior year.

“The end of your junior year, you really start to come into your own,” Wesley said.

“You’re figuring it all out, he knows what he’s got to do, he knows what spots to get to and how to get his shot, getting to the line a little more. I think all those things factor in, that’s when you the maturation of a player.”

While the Lakers were able to come away with the victory in that one off the historic performance of Van Tubbergen, they were not as lucky in the second game of the week.

Even though it was a back-and-forth game for the first half, Michigan Tech always seemed to have a 6-8 point lead in the second half. Despite Van Tubbergen (27 points, 14 rebounds) and senior Jeremiah Ferguson (23 points, three assists) being solid down the stretch, it wasn’t enough to give the Lakers the victory.

“It was a back-and-forth second half, but they had a little bit of a run in there to get some separation,” Wesley said. “I didn’t feel like there was anything in particular we did, they just made shots. Jake had another outstanding game, and Ferg played well down the stretch, we just didn’t really get great play from anybody else. At a place like this, on se-

nior day, you need more than that.”

When reflecting back on the road trip, Wesley was proud of the fight his team showed, but went on to reiterate how tough the GLIAC is to play, especially on the road.

“It was a little bit of a mixed bag,” Wesley said. “I liked our competitive spirit, our will on Thursday didn’t go away, and I thought today we had it too. We talk about it all the time, this is a very balanced league. Every game is a fist fight. There’s a lot of teams playing well this time of year, and winning on the road is difficult, so there are no revelations to take away from the trip.”

GVSU has their own Senior Night Thursday, Feb. 28, as Ferguson, Jayden Hodgson and Ben Lubitz will be honored before the game. Wesley would love to see his guys get the win to carry positive momentum into the GLIAC tournament.

“We’re running out of opportunities, so we certainly want to get back on track,” Wesley said. “You don’t want to have losing streaks this time of the year, we’re battling for conference season and regional rankings, so we have to keep trying to improve. It’s a marathon, and we’re getting towards the end, but we’re still not there.”

MARCH 9, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A10 | SPORTS BASEBALL

Baseball improves to 10-3 over Spring Break trip

BY ZACK GOODROW ZGOODROW@LANTHORN.COM

Spring Break was last week for Grand Valley State University, and while most students have gone home to see their families or traveled to warmer weather, Grand Valley State’s baseball team (10-3) is no exception. They traveled down to Florida for the Russmatt Invitational to take on a variety of teams.

On Sunday March 1, the team took on the University of Findlay (5-6) in a double header. GVSU won both games 9-3 and 6-2.

After trailing by a score in the top half of the second inning during the first game, GVSU’s bats caught fire scoring seven in the bottom half of the inning.

Junior outfielder Spencer Nelson, senior catcher Ryan Blake-Jones, senior catcher Connor Grice and freshman outfielder Nathan Logan each recorded an RBI during the inning. After Finlay scored two more runs during the top of the third and fifth, infielder Anthony Cocco had a two run double to keep the Lakers on top. Redshirt junior starting pitcher Nick Shaw picked up his first win of the season (2-1), while tossing three strikeouts and one earned run in 5.1 innings pitched.

In the second game of the day, junior starting pitcher Ben Thomas (2-1) had an outstanding performance. He barely missed out on throwing a no hitter after a two out hit

by Finlay. He ended the contest with seven strikeouts and only allowed two runs in the final inning after Lakers were up by six.

On Monday, March 2, the Lakers again had a double header. This time they faced West Virginia Wesleyan College (1-15).

GVSU again won both contests. In the first game GVSU won 5-3. Sophomore starting pitcher Sam Leck won his first game of the season (1-0) as the team came out on top, 5-3.

Both teams went scoreless in the first five innings of the game. The Lakers scored first in the sixth inning. Cocco reached third on a triple and junior infielder Jordan Chandler was walked and stole second. Junior infielder Blake Vershum came to the plate and laid down a perfectly executed bunt to score both runners on base.

GVSU put on a hitting clinic in the second game of the double header. GVSU won the contest 18-2. Freshman pitcher Austin Brown (2-0) got his first win of the season allowing only two runs and throwing five strikeouts.

Chandler led the team with three RBI’s after blasting a three run home run in the second inning. Freshman infielder Anthony Fleischauer and Logan led the team with two hits each. Nelson and junior infielder Christian Faust each stole a base to complete the sweep against Wesleyan.

The following day, the team took on Tiffin University (8-2). GVSU suffered their first loss of the tournament, 14-2. The pitching

the team had seen the previous four games driving in three runs. Blake-Jones and Faust of the tournament wasn’t there. Junior start- also recorded RBI’s in the Lakers victory. ing pitcher Mark Scannell suffered his first The Lakers split their last double header loss of the season (0-1), while giving up five of the tournament. Against the University runs in three innings. Senior infielder Parker of Sioux Falls (4-6), GVSU won the first Murdie and senior outfielder Jonathan Cata- game 7-1 and lost the final 10-4. Brown pano were the only players to post an RBI for got his second win of the tournament and GVSU during the game. the season during the first game. Brown GVSU bounced back however to next day pitched the entire game allowing one run against Findlay. The team won 12-7 and was and five strikeouts. their third consecutive victory against FindSioux Falls improved on their perforlay in the tournament. After trailing by three mance in the second game. They got on runs in the first inning, the Lakers’ bats came top of the Lakers early 4-1 through the first alive. They scored eight consecutive runs two innings of the game. Bonter and Logan during a four inning period to make Finda- brought things closer in the third, bring the ly’s deficit too high to battle back. score to 4-3 after RBI singles. However, Sioux The Laker baseball team got a day off Falls scored four more points by the end of on Thursday. Coming into a double header the sixth inning. Pim knocked a runner in against the University of Minnesota Duluth after a single to center field but it was too late (2-3), the team was well rested and won both for the Lakers. Sioux Falls scored two more contests. The Lakers won the first game in the in the seventh, bring the game total to 10-4. series 7-4. Thomas picked up his second win Through March 7, GVSU posted an imof the tournament striking out five batters pressive 8-2 record during the tournament and Barno earned his third save of the sea- over Spring Break. The team showed excelson. Barno pitched a scoreless seventh inning lent flashes on offense and control from the to secure the Lakers win. pitching staff. Chandler blasted two homerThe next game of the series was another uns over the week showing his power with Lakers win 5-0. Shaw looked fantastic on the the bat. Shaw also had his incredible outing, mound shutting out Minnesota in six innings tossing out 14 batters, and gave the Lakers and striking out 14 batters. His performance one of the most amazing pitching perforshow a position Run for tied a school strikeout record set and

by Kyle mances they’ve seen in the past few years.

Teague in 2013.

Senior infielder Nathan Bonyour Laker Pride! ter was a force on offense during the game

Apply to Student Senate

by March 20th at 5pm. gvsu.edu / studentsenate / elections

HEADED FOR HOME: The GVSU men’s baseball team traveled to Florida this Spring Break for the Russmatt Invitational. The Lakers finished with a record of 8-2. COURTESY | GVSULAKERS

MARCH 9, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A11 | SPORTS

SOFTBALL

GVSU softball gains 11-game win streak from Spring Break trip

BY ROSEMARY BOOHER RBOOHER@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State softball team spent their Spring Break in Florida where they played against twelve other teams during their academic time off. The Lakers totaled eleven wins and only one loss during their trip, their singular loss being against Saint Anselm in the first matchup.

GVSU split their first day with one loss and one win on Sunday, March 1. The Lakers took on Saint Anselm and eventually lost to the team in a close 1-2 game.

GVSU bounced back in the second game against Wilmington where they continued on to win 6-2. Each day after the Lakers went undefeated.

The following day they defeated Ceaderville as well as Kentucky Wesleyan 11-3 and 3-0 respectively. GVSU did not allow either teams that they matched up against that day to score any points, winning 3-0 against Gannon and 8-0 against Concordia Saint Paul. The next day the Lakers faced Mary with a final score of 7-2 and Felician 12-4. GVSU took on Adelphi

beating them 6-1 and against Georgian Court they had their largest win of 17-3.

Their last day in Florida ended with the Lakers victorious against Minnesota Duluth and Missouri St. Louis, scoring 4-1 and 3-2 respectively.

Although the team did well this past week, the GVSU head coach Dana Callihan believes that there is always a lesson to learn and that each game gives something to improve on.

“We will be working on the basics and working to get better every game,” Callihan said. “We’re learning that we have to be ready for everyone, every game.”

The Spring trip is a learning experience every year, one that the team can look forward to with fondness knowing that it will be packed full of competition and fun, Callihan said.

“It was a great week,” Callihan said. “We improved every game and really started to come together. It gives us a chance to play good competition to get ready for our conference season. We have new faces so we were trying out some different combinations. We enjoy playing with anyone.

IN THE HUDDLE: Calling in the team, Grand Valley Softball stays as a strong unit during one of their 12 games over Spring Break. The team went 11-1 during the Florida trip. COURTESY | GVSULAKERS

When you have opponents that respect the game and play it well, that makes it really fun.”

The fun continues for the Lakers as they set off to take on the Ohio Domin-

ican Panthers on Saturday, March 14. in Columbus, Ohio. GVSU will travel in hopes of continuing their eleven game winning streak.

We are so glad you are a part of the Allendale community!

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Show your GVSU ID at participating businesses for great student deals and discounts. Scan the code or visit the website for the list and more communtiy information.

www.allendalechamber.org/LakerLifeAllendale

MARCH 9, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A12 | SPORTS TRACK & FIELD

SANDY SPRING BREAK: The GVSU Track and Field team took first place in the GLIAC Championships this Spring Break. Out of the 17 events, the lady Lakers took first place in 10, while the men’s team took first place in nine. The team travels to Alabama for more titles March 13-14. GVL | BENJAMIN HUNT

GVSU Track & Field dominate GLIAC Championships, bringing home first place

BY HOLLY BIHLMAN HBIHLMAN@LANTHORN.COM

In an outstanding championship meet for the Grand Valley State track and field teams, both the men and women secured the first-place win over Spring Break in the GLIAC Championships. On both Saturday, Feb. 29 and Sunday, Mar 1, the GVSU athletes absolutely dominated the scoreboards, leaving the women with the first-place title on Saturday at 100.50 points and 242.50 points on Sunday. The men finished Saturday with a first-place title at 49 points and 208.50 on Sunday.

Out of the 17 events scored for both teams, there were 10 events with a Grand Valley State athlete in first place for the women, and nine for the men. Some highlights for the women were Nicole Sreenan and Angelica Floyd tasking first and second place in the 60-meter dash with times at 7.41 and 7.57, and then Sreenan in first and Floyd in third for the 200-meter dash at 23.84 and 24.96 respectively. In the 400-meter dash, Sarah Beulla and Jessica Eby took third and fourth with times at 56.60 and 56.64, followed by Abbey Clasen in seventh at 1.00.22. Molly McLaughlin took third in the 800-meter run with a time of 2.16.36 followed by Abby Crouch in fifth at 2.17.04.

Allie Ludge had a fantastic couple of wins starting with the 1-mile run finishing in first at 4.52.05, and in first again for the 3,000-meter run at 9.37.03 followed by Klaudia O’Malley in second

with a time of 9.38.77, Natalie Graber in third at 9.40.85, and Jessica Gockley in fifth at 10.01.04. In the 5,000-meter run, Hanna Groeber took first with a time of 16.52.51 followed by Madison Goen at 17.06.00, and then Lynsey Amthor in third, Stacey Metzger in fourth, and Lyudmy Karpukhno in sixth.

The women also won the 4x400 relay at 3.44.47 with Jessica Eby, Sarah Beulla, Asia Smith and Nicole Sreenan. The women took third in the distance medley with a time of 11.54.94 with Abby Crouch, Abbey Clasen, Molly McLaughlin and Camryn Gabriel. The women slayed the pole vault taking first, second and third with Ellainne Kimes at 4.21, Carly Livingston at 3.95 and Kassidie Stimmel at 3.80. Angelica Floyd took second in the long jump at 5.68, Anna Obi took first in the triple jump at 11.70, Elizabeth Pyles took second in the shot put at 13.73 and Bobbie Goodwin took first in the weight throw at 20.88, followed by Franesha Robinson-Mitchell and Judith Essemiah in fourth and fifth.

For the men, starting with the 60-meter dash, Emmanuel Arop took third with a score of 6.93, Andrew McFarland took fourth in the 400-meter dash at 48.74, and Dennis Mbuta scored a couple of first place wins in the 800-meter run at 1.51.89 followed by Noah Fuerst in third at 1.52.28, and another first place win for Mbuta in the 1-mile run with a time of 4.13.78 with John Groendyk and Jacob Domagalski in third and fourth with times of 4.14.09 and 4.15.12. The

men dominated the 3,000-meter run with Connor Schwartz coming in first at 8.06.33, Ena Woldemichael in second at 8.07.00, and Tanner Chada in third at 8.08.80. Again, in the 5000-meter run, Brendan Parr took first at 14.22.47 followed by Ben Zaremba at 14.27.06, with Bennett Peterson and Garrett White in fifth and sixth.

In the 60-meter hurdles, Tyler Mansfield took second at 8.18 with Tyler Kirkwood at 8.20 right behind, and the men took second place in the 4x400 relay with a time of 3.13.61 with Alexander Porter, Daniel Walker, Jaylen Hasan and Andrew McFarland. In the distance medley the men took first at 9.55.37 with John Groendyk, Matt McLaughlin, Tyler Walters and Dennis Mbuta.

In the high jump, Ryan Mount placed in first at 2.08, Alex Peskin took first in the pole vault at 4.73, Mac Mitchell placed fourth in the triple jump at 13.68, and Justin Scavarda took first in the shot put with a score of 17.72 followed by Brad Warman in fourth at 16.64. In the weight throw, Hunter Harding came in third at 19.91, Justin Scavarda came in fourth at 18.96 and Leon White took sixth at 18.72.

After an outstanding weekend for the Lakers, the track and field teams will be travelling to Birmingham, Alabama for the GLIAC Championships this weekend, March 13-14. With their scores over break, there is no doubt the team will make us proud and bring home some more first place titles.